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The La Terraza Tennis Center in Casa de Campo, the journalist Gustavo Rodríguez and seven former players and promoters were honored within the framework of the Sixth Dominican Tennis Recognition Gala, held last Tuesday in the auditorium of the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame, at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center in that capital.
The ceremony paid tribute to former tennis players Yoli Bernal, Mary Dávila, Limbert Pichardo, Luis Manuel Velázquez and Toñito Ramírez (In Memoriam), who shone during the 1970s and 1980s, contributing in an extraordinary way to the rise of Dominican tennis, which at that time reached high levels of popularity.
Also honored were Sarah Olimpia Frómeta de Schad, who carried out an outstanding leadership role in the same period, and coach Lorenzo Bobea, a top tennis figure in San Pedro de Macorís.
The activity is dedicated to the La Terraza Tennis Center of the Casa de Campo hotel, for its extraordinary contribution to the development and success of Dominican tennis, becoming during its foundation in the 1970s the venue for numerous national and international tournaments, a training center for national teams and cradle of renowned players.
At the Gala, the prominent journalist Gustavo Rodríguez was also recognized for the support he has given to the dissemination of tennis events in our country.
The event was sponsored by the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency, Ministry of Sports, Listín Diario, BANRESERVAS, Ministry of Agriculture, INAPA, Central Romana Corporation, Garrigó Reasesores, United Brands, Logomarca, Vallas Nobles., GK Press Services and ARTIS Image Agency.
The seats of honor in the auditorium were occupied by Franklin de la Mota and Kennedy Vargas, Vice Ministers of Sports; Dionisio Guzmán, president of the Standing Committee of the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame; Sergio Tobal, vice president of the Dominican Tennis Federation and Rafael Villalona, director of the Dominican Olympic Committee.
Also, Leo Corporán and Héctor J. Cruz, sports editors of the newspapers El Nacional and Listín Diario, respectively; Fernando Ravelo, member of the board of directors of the Association of Sports Writers of Santo Domingo; Fausto Severino, Head of the Ministerial Cabinet of MIDEREC and Mackey Calzada, assistant to the Minister of Sports, as well as Mario Emilio Guerrero and Ivelisse José Jorge, directors of the Dominican Tennis Gallery of Fame, the entity that organized the activity.
These personalities were in charge of delivering the awards to the honorees. The act began with the central words, by Mario Emilio Guerrero and then Franklin de la Mota presented the award corresponding to the La Terraza Tennis Center, which was represented by its director Matías Territoriale.
The prize corresponding to Gustavo Rodríguez, who was accompanied by Rolando Sebelén as aide-de-camp, was delivered by Dionisio Guzmán.
Next, Yoli Bernal, accompanied by Miguel Ángel Fernández, received her plaque from Kennedy Vargas; Sergio Tobal awarded Lorenzo Bobea, escorted by his sister Mayra; Mary Dávíla, accompanied by her sister Susan, was awarded by Rafael Villalona and Fernando José Ravelo presented the corresponding trophy to Sarah Olimpia Frómeta from Schad, who took the stage together with her aide-de-camp Maribel Ginebra de Baquero.
Later, Leo Corporán handed over the corresponding trophy to Toñito Ramírez (RIP), who was represented by his brother Jesús, who had his daughter Vanessa Ramírez Castillo as aide-de-camp; Limbert Pichardo, escorted by his daughter Michelle, received his award from Héctor J. Cruz and Luis Manuel Velázquez, with Otto Bauer as assistant, was honored by Franklin de la Mota.